Since the development of the hinged toilet seat, there has been an ongoing problem between men and women who use the same toilets. The hinged seat was developed for sanitary reasons, to allow men, who naturally urinate while standing, to do so without inadvertently wetting the seat. After finishing, the tendency is to leave the seat in the upright position. Women, who always use toilets with the seat in the lowered position, have seen this as inconsiderate or worse on the part of men, and men are constantly reminded by women to return the seat to the lowered position after using a toilet. Even so, it can be difficult for a male to remember to do so under all circumstances.
The need arises for a device to force persons using a toilet to return the seat to the lowered position without fail, after using the toilet. The device should preclude the use of another function of the toilet (i.e., operation of the flush handle) while the seat is raised. By installing such a device on the seat, or forming it integrally with the seat, the seat must be lowered in order to allow access to the flush handle.